Synchronizer to introduce articles in proper phase



B. R. BENITH 3,198,050

SYNCHRONIZER TO INTRODUCE ARTICLES IN PROPER PHASE Aug. 3, 1965 Filed O OL. 1,

4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BENEDICT R. BENITH BY 1 K I:

ATTORNEY w A k/w 5 3 5 T afi; H

B. R. BENITH Aug. 3, 1965 SYNCHRONIZER TO INTRODUCE ARTICLES IN PROPER PHASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 1, 1962 H W m R m mun T V m D E N Y BB ATTORN EY B. R. BENITH Aug. 3, 1 965 SYNCHRONIZER TO INTRODUCE ARTICLES IN PROPER PHASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 1, 1962 3, 1965 B. R. BENITH 3,198,050

SYNCHRONIZER TO INTRODUCE ARTICLES IN PROPER PHASE Filed 031;. l, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.4 i

INVENTOR BENEDICT R. BENITH ATTORNEY actuated lever mechanism is thereupon disabled.

cycle is repeated as each loaf is received on the elevator.

are-sass syncrnior rann To an on harness RN i Eenedict R. Benith, Westbnry, NAG, to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New .iersey Filed st. 1, E62, Ser. No. 227,..58 4 Claims. (Ql. 83--2-t91.i2)

eynchonizing mechanism in the infeed of a high speed bandsaw bread slicing machine, which machine is equipped with dual sets of pusher flights, to positively push each loaf entirely through the blades without disengagement therefrom, which synchronizing mechanism introduces the bread into the path of the first pusher flight in the input of the machine at the optimum time for engagement with the first pusher flight in the present machine, the two sets of pusher flights are operated continuously. One set engages the loaf near the upper rear surface thereof and pushes the loaf partially through the multiple blades which are inclined at an obtuse angle to the surface on which the oncoming loaf is supported. The second set of pusher flights is synchron- 'ized with the first and engages the lower rear surface of with the upper portion of the loaf and pushes it through the remaining distance to clear the bin es and then through the outfeed of the machine. in order to promote proper slicing, it is desirable that the loaf be presented to the first pusher flights at the proper time in a cycle. In the present invention this is performed by an improved mechanism in the infeed of the slicer. This improved mechanism receives loaves incoming to the slicer at random and presents each loaf in the path of a set of flights in the first pusher at the precise moment for proper engagement therewith, so that the slicing operation may be controlled by the two sets of synchronized pusher flights and the bread may be correctly sliced. it should be obvious that unless the engagement between the loaf and the multiple blade-s is properly controlled slicing will be inaccurate and at times may be so faulty that the loaf is unsalea'ble.

in the present arrangement, the loaves incoming at random thr ugh the infced of the machine are propelled onto the horizontal surface of a displaceable element which is normally fixed in position, but which may be pushed vertically to raise the loaf into the path or" the first pusher flights disposed at a higher level in the machine. As each loaf is propelled onto the vertically displaceable element the loaf engages a tripping mechanism. The tripping mechanism enables a cam operated lever mechanism the operation or" which is synchronized with the flight mechanism. At the proper instant, after the enabling oi the cam operated lever mechanism, the lever is actuated to raise the vertically displaceable element to raise the loaf into the path of the oncoming pusher flights. The vertically displaceable surface or platform, hereinafter termed an elevator, is then lowered to its normal unoperated position, and the com This A feature of the invention is a mechanism, normally United States Patent 0 disabled, responsive to the reception of a loaf of bread, 0 enable a cyclically operated mechanism to present loaf to another mechanism at the proper phase in the of operation of the other mechanism. ny other objects, advantages and features of the in the construction, combination and of parts involved in the embodiment of the invasion as will be understood from the following .esc;ption and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the machine;

2 is a plan view partly in section of a portion of the machine;

3 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion machine showing the loaf elevator and the controls invention reside ens.

invention represents an improvement in machine widely used and Well known in industry and also described in my pending cation, Serial l lo. 34,561, filed June 7, 1960,

Patent No. 3,0%,392. It is considered, therefore, that it is not necessary to describe well known parts thereof in detail they will be described herein oniy insofar as is necessary to an understanding of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the bread slicing machine is constructed as follows. As shown in FIG. 1, a motor 1 5, drives a belt 11 which turns a pulley 12 mounted on a shaft 13 which is rotatably journallcd in the sides of frame 21 2-.

Gn each side of the top of frame 1 5 there is slidably mounted a bearing block 15 in which a shaft 16 is rotatabiy mounted to carry a blade support drum 17. retracting mechanisms 13 are connected by means o shaft 19 which may be turned to slide both the s in relation to the frame 14 to move the drum toward or away from the drum i2 and thus adjust the tension of the bandsaw blades whose path is indicated by broken line The two deflecting idler drums 21 and 2 are rotatably secured by means of the shafts 23 and which are iournaled in opposite sides of frame 14. The blades 2% each form a distorted figure 8 passing over, around and under the drive drum 12, over the reflecting roller under the deflecting roller 21, over, "d and under the id er roller it? and back over the or roller 12. Since the blades 21 must lie flat against the drums when they contact them, each blade receives a 138 degree twist between drum 22 and drum 23 l as between drum 17 and drum i2.

infeed head generally designated by the numeral PEG. 1, is slidably mounted between the side members of the frame 14 to be positioned by means of the handle 31 and the screw thread 32 a desired distance above an i ced table 32 to accommodate loaves of any desired 1 ght within a The upper blade guides 33 and the lower blade guides are mounted between the frame sides i l. These blade guides 33 and 34 may be laterally adjusted to regulate thickness of the bread slices. Such adjustable blade guides may be of the type shown in Patent No. 2,293,083 issued August 18, '1942 to P. G. Schlemrner or Patent No. 2,375,231, issued May 8, 1945 to A. A. Kottmann or in accordance with my patent application, Serial No. 34,561. The present machine is preferably driven by the same drive as is an associated packaging machine, not shown, so that the two machines may be operated in synchronism. In the present drawings, an individual motor ib is shown as being the driving source. it is emphasized that this single source is used to drive all or" the moving parts in the slicing machine, except isurfaces as is well known in the art.

sizes.

7 back to 43. Mounted on the same shaft as sprocket 49 and integral therewith, as shown in the upper middle portion of FIG. '1, -is sprocket 60 whichrthrough chain 61 :drives sprocket mounted on shaft 63 which is journalled in opposite sides of the head 30. Another shaft 64 is also journalled in the opposite sides of head 30 near its,

front end. Integral with shaft 63 near its opposite ends are a pair of sprockets such as-66 and integral with shaft 7 7 64 near its opposite ends are a pair of sprockets 'such as 68. The sprockets 66and 68 are interconnected by e less chains indicated by 70 which carry the infeedflights such as 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 and 82 generally counterclockwise. The flightsare shown in various positions they assume under the influence of gravity and the camming action.,of their followers in engagement. with'the camrned A lip 129 on the lower edge of plate'128 is normally disposed slightly above and in the path of catch 136 but disengaged therefrom. When plate 128 isactuated by a loaf, the plate'is-moved out of the path of the elevator whichv is thereby enabled to rise through its full vertically displaceable distance inresponse to the action of its controlling cam and; levers at the correct moment'to engage a flight in correct phase in amanner tobe described. If the plate 128 is not engaged by 'a loaf, the cam and lever elevator control mechanism will operate during each cycle of operation of the cam, which runs continuously, so thatthe' cam and lever mechanism tends to raise the e'levator th'rough its full distance but will be, effective to raise i-t only sufficiently so that catch 136 engages lip 129 whereupon further upward motion of the elevator is prevented; This will now be described.

' Cam 103 controls follower 104 which is secured to crank arm 106. Arm 106 is normally urged downwardly by spring 108 which. is tensioned between the frame and a pin 109 in-arm 106. As bestxseen in FIG. 2, arm 106 y is, secured by meansof a hub 111toishaft 110. Shaft 110 Integrally mounted on shaft 42 and driven also by sprocket 43 is sprocket 90 which through chain 92 drives; a

sprocket 94 which is secured tov shaft 95 journa'lled in opposite sides. of the outfeed generally indicated at 96.

Integral with shaft94 near its opposed ends are apair of sprockets whichdrive .a pair of chains suchas 98; The

ends of shaft 105, which is journalled in. the opposed sides is journalled near its .oppos ite ends in the side of the frameQ Se'curedto shaft' 110 also interiorly of each of its ends are two hubs such as 113 each having an arm such as 112. .At. their right-hand ends, these arms together carry a shaft 116. The opposite ends of shaft 116 i are secured inbrackets 120. Another pair of arms, such fchains pass about a pair of sprockets such as 100 secured to a shaft 102 journalled inopposite sides of the out-feed 96 and then through guide ways in'outfeed 96, over .a' pair of sprockets, such as 104, secured near the opposed as 114, are each mounted at their left-hand ends for limited rotation to a bracket such as 119 andat their right- 'hand ends they cooperatively carry a shaft 118 which is arranged to cooperate with shaft 116 in lifting the eleuof outfeed 96,,and over sprockets such as 6 back to sprockets 94. The outfeed flights which engage the lower rear surface of each loaf, after the loaf has been pushed through theblades, so that the lower rear surface is clear of the blades, are secured to the chains such as 98.

As mentioned in the foregoing, chain 44 drives sprocket 47 and, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, integrally mounted 'on the same stud with sprocket 47 is sprocket 150 which drives chain 152 whichin turn drives sprocket 154. Into"- gral with sprocket 154 is sprocket 156 which drives chain 158. Chain 158 drives sprockets 160, 162, and 164. 0am

103, which controls the elevator mechanism, in a' manner to be described hereinafter, ismounted integrally-on the same stud as that on which sprocket 162 is secured.

Mountedintegrallyon the same'stud to which sprocket 164 is secured, as seen in FIG. 3, is sprocket 170. Sprocket 170 drives chain 172 which drives sprocket 174. Sprocket 174 is secured to shaft 175 which is journalled in opposite sides of the frame of infeed 32. Drum 176 isintegrally, mounted on shaft 175 and drivesdrum 178 through the continuous bread infeed belt 180; Drum 178 is secured to shaft 179 which is journalled in the opposite sides of the infeed 32. Belt 180 .is driven in such directionthat it .moves the. bread loaves such as 190 and 192 from left to right as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

If desired, platform 124 may be used alonefor.

smaller loaves and platform 126may be removed. Platform 124 is secured ateach side to brackets 120 and,122.

Supported in a bracket integral with each side of the .frame is shaft 134 from which tripping, plate 128' depends. Securedto the frame behind plate 128 is stop 1: spring element 130 and stop 132 bothof which are adjustable by means of screws. The'tension of the "spring in element 130 is ,very light so that Whena loaf is pushed overthe elevator platform and engagesjit, plate128 is control of spring 108 which pushed to the right, as seen inFIG. 3, compressing the 'spring untilfplate 128, engages stop 132. The are through, whichelement 128 is actuated is very short.

vator.

' The two sets of arms'such as arms 112 and 114, and the elementsin which they are secured at each end, form, as it were, parallelograms. Arms 112 when rotated do Lthe lifting of the. elevator and arms 114 act as stabilizers.

:As earn 103 rotates, follower 104 moves up and down vertically rocking arm 106, shaft and arms'112, shaft 116 andlifting the elevator. Arms 114 and shaft 118 follow the motionltending to stabilize the motion. When 'the follower104 is in its upper position, the elevator is in its lower position. When the cam 103 is in such position that spring 108may draw arm 106 downwardly, arms I112, shaft 116 and the elevator are urged upwardly. If

.plate 128 has been displaced out of the path fof the elevator, the, elevator rises to its full vertical displaceable distance to present aloaf to a flight such as 78 and the loaf is pushed toward the slicing bandsawkn-ives. If plate 128 is not displaced, the elevator rises only slightly until further motion is arrested by engagement of catch 136 with lip 129. On each cycle .of operation, obviously, cam

103 controls the elevator so that it is'depressed to its lowermost position and freescatch 136 from lip 129 if it has been in engagement therewith.

The condition of an elevator as shown in FIG. 3 is the normal position of rest in which the elevator is in its lowermost position. In FIG. 4, a loaf has displaced plate 128 and theelevator is enabled .to move upward through its full distance. FIG. 5 shows the condition of the mechanism" when the elevator. has risen to its topmost position and a flight. such as 78 engages the loaf. FIGJ6 shows the condition of'the mechanism during one phase of-a cycle in'whichno loaf has been received and the elevator. is latched against further upward motion. 'It. will be observed: that in the particular phase of the cam operation shown' in FIG. 6, the card 103 is disengaged f-rom;.its follower 104 andthe mechanism is under will'rnaintainthe latch closed.

Whatis claitnedis: 1 1

, 1. In a bread slicing machine,,a plurality of slicing saw hands, a first continuously operated transfer having a first individual conveying element for engaging and .conveying an item toward, and partially through said saw bands, at second continuously operated transfer, in

. tandem with said first transfer, said second transfer having a second individual element for engaging and conveying said item without interrupting the remainder of the distance through said saw bands, a receiving station in said machine for receiving said items at random, an elevator at said station for presenting said item to said first element so that said first element propels said item off said elevator toward said saw bands, means for actuating said elevator, said first element and said second element in synchronism.

2. A bread slicing machine having a plurality of band slicing blades, an infeed to said slicing blades, an outfeed from said slicing blades, a first continuously operated conveyor mechanism in said infeed, a second continuously operated conveyor mechanism in said outfeed, a plurality of first and second pushers actuated by said first and second mechanisms, respectively, each of said pushers so spaced one from another is to accommodate only an individual loaf of bread, an elevator in said infeed, said elevator disposed below said first pushers and normally at rest, an elevator lift enabler in said infeed responsive to the random reception on said elevator of any loaf, an

elevator lift controllable by said enabler, synchronizing means connected to said lift, responsive to said enabler,

for actuating said lift to present any individual loaf to an blades, and other synchronizing means controlling said second pus-hers so that an individual one of them thereupon engages the partially sliced loaf Without interruption to complete the slicing and propel it through said outfeed.

3. A slicing machine in accordance with claim 2 in which said first pushers are a plurality of individual flights pivotally secured at one end to a first continuously driven chain, both said chain and said flights so disposed above said elevator that a flight engages a loaf at the upper portion of the rear of the loaf.

4. A slicing machine in accordance with claim 3 in which said second pushers are a plurality of individual elements secured to a second continuously driven chain, and in which the second chain and the individual elements are disposed so that an individual element engages he rear lower portion of an individual partially sliced loaf.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,141,904 12/38 lerenci 146153 2,245,168 6/ 4-1 Kottmann 146-153 2,840,223 6/58 Shoppee 198-34 2,934,119 4/60 Hoppe et 211. 3,024,890 3/62 Bells 198-84 1. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BREAD SLICING MACHINE, A PLURALITY FO SLICING SAW BANDS, A FIRST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED TRANSFER HAVING A FIRST INDIVIDUAL CONVEYING ELEMENT FOR ENGAGING AND CONVEYING AN ITEM TOWARD AND PARTIALLY THROUGH SAID SAW BANDS, A SECOND CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED TRANSFER, IN TANDEM WITH SAID FIRST TRANSFER, SAID SECOND TRANSFER HAVING A SECOND INDIVIDUAL ELEMENT FOR ENGAGING AND CONVEYING SAID ITEM WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE REMAINDER OF THE DISTANCE THROUGH SAID SAW BANDS, A RECEIVING STATION IN SAID MACHINE FOR RECEIVING SAID ITEM AT RANDOM, AN ELEVATOR AT SAID STATION FOR PRESENTING SAID ITEM TO SAID FIRST ELEMENT SO THAT SAID FIRST ELEMENT PROPELS SAID ITEM OFF SAID ELEVATOR TOWARD SAID SAW BANDS, MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID ELEVATOR, SAID FIRST ELEMENT AND SAID SECOND ELEMENT IN SYNCHRONISM. 